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To conquer still; peace hath her victories No less renown'd than war: new foes arise Threatening to bind our souls with secular chains : Help us to save free conscience from the paw Of hireling wolves, whose gospel is their maw.

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XVII. TO SIR HENRY VANE THE YOUNGER.*

VANE, young in years, but in sage counsel old,

Than whom a better senator ne'er held The helm of Rome, when gowns not arms repell'd The fierce Epirot and the African bold, Whether to settle peace, or to unfold

The drift of hollow states hard to be spell'd, Then to advise how war may best upheld Move by her two main nerves, iron and gold, In all her equipage: besides to know

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Both spiritual pow'r and civil, what each means, What severs each, thou hast learn'd, which few have done :

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10 peace, &c.] In the printed copies, before Newton's edition, 'peace has her victories, no less than those of war;' and afterwards, ' in secular chains.' Todd. Compare Milton' Second Defence, vol. ii. p. 442; and Cas. Sarb. Carm. p. 323, ed. Barbou.

* This Sonnet seems to have been written in behalf of the Independents against the Presbyterian hierarchy. Vane was beheaded in 1662.

Warlon.

1 counsel] The printed copies, 'councils.' Newton.

7 Then, &c.] In the printed copies,

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'Then to advise how war may be best upheld

Mann'd by her two main nerves,' &c. Newton.

severs] 'Serves.' Printed edition. Newton.

The bounds of either sword to thee we owe :
Therefore on thy firm hand Religion leans
In peace, and reckons thee her eldest son.

XVIII. ON THE LATE MASSACRE IN PIEMONT.

AVENGE, O Lord, thy slaughter'd saints, whose bones
Lie scatter'd on the Alpine mountains cold;
Ev'n them who kept thy truth so pure of old,
When all our fathers worshipp'd stocks and stones,
Forget not in thy book record their groans

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Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold Slain by the bloody Piemontese that roll'd Mother with infant down the rocks. Their moans The vales redoubled to the hills, and they

To Heav'n. Their martyr'd blood and ashes sow O'er all th' Italian fields, where still doth sway The triple tyrant; that from these may grow A hundred fold, who having learn'd thy way Early may fly the Babylonian woe.

XIX. ON HIS BLINDNESS.

WHEN I consider how my light is spent
Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,

13 Therefore, &c.] In the printed copies:

"Therefore on thy right hand Religion leans,

And reckons thee in chief her eldest son.' Newton.

2 Alpine] Fairfax's Tasso, B. xiii. s. 60.

Distill'd from tops of Alpine mountains cold. Warton.

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And that one talent which is death to hide,
Lodg'd with me useless, though my soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest he returning chide;
"Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?"
I fondly ask: But Patience, to prevent
That murmur, soon replies, "God doth not need
Either man's work, or his own gifts; who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best: his state
Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed,

And post o'er land and ocean without rest:
They also serve who only stand and wait."

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XX. TO MR. LAWRENCE.*

LAWRENCE, of virtuous father virtuous son,

Now that the fields are dank, and ways are mire, Where shall we sometimes meet, and by the fire Help waste a sullen day, what may be won From the hard season gaining? Time will run On smoother, till Favonius re-inspire The frozen earth, and clothe in fresh attire The lily and rose, that neither sow'd nor spun.

10 man's work, or his own gifts] Free will, or grace. Warburton. 13 post] P. L. iv. 171,

'With a vengeance sent,

From Media post to Egypt.' Warton.

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* Lawrence published a work called 'Of our Communion and Warre with Angels,' &c. 1646, 4to. Todd. See British Bibliographer, vol. i. p. 352.

What neat repast shall feast us, light and choice, Of Attic taste, with wine, whence we may rise To hear the lute well touch'd, or artful voice Warble immortal notes and Tuscan air?

He who of those delights can judge, and spare To interpose them oft, is not unwise.

XXI. TO CYRIAC SKINNER.

CYRIAC, whose grandsire on the royal bench
Of British Themis, with no mean applause
Pronounc'd and in his volumes taught our laws,
Which others at their bar so often wrench;
To day deep thoughts resolve with me to drench
In mirth, that after no repenting draws;
Let Euclid rest and Archimedes pause,

And what the Swede intends, and what the French.
To measure life learn thou betimes, and know

Toward solid good what leads the nearest way; 10 For other things mild Heav'n a time ordains, And disapproves that care, though wise in show, That with superfluous burden loads the day, And, when God sends a cheerful hour, refrains.

7 Euclid] See Censura Literaria, vi. p. 144.

8 And what the Swede intends] So the MS. The first ed. And what the Swede intend,' which in others is altered to, ' And what the Swedes intend.' Newton.

11 mild Heav'n] So Son. xix. 'bear his mild yoke.' Par. Reg. ii. 125, 'these mild seats.' Sil. Italicus, iv. 795, 'Mite et cognatum est homini deus.' And Hen. More's Poems, p. 196.

XXII. TO THE SAME.

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CYRIAC, this three years day these eyes, tho' clear
To outward view, of blemish or of spot,
Bereft of light their seeing have forgot,
Nor to their idle orbs doth sight appear
Of sun, or moon, or star, throughout the year,
Or man, or woman. Yet I argue not
Against Heav'n's hand or will, nor bate a jot
Of heart or hope; but still bear up and steer
Right onward. What supports me, dost thou ask?
The conscience, Friend, t' have lost them overplied
In liberty's defence, my noble task,

Of which all Europe rings from side to side.

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This thought might lead me through the world's

vain mask

Content though blind, had I no better guide.

3 Bereft, &c.] In the printed copies,

'Bereft of sight their seeing have forgot,

Nor to their idle orbs doth day appear,

Or sun or moon.' Newton.

7 a] In the printed copies, 'one.' Newton.

12 rings] So the printed copies before Newton's edition, in which 'talks' is substituted from the MS. instead of 'rings.' The Sonnet thus concluded before Newton's ed.

'Whereof all Europe rings from side to side.

This thought might lead me through this world's vain mask,

Content though blind, had I no other guide.'

Todd.

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